In recent years, there has been a renewal of interest in phase change random access memory (PCRAM) as a promising candidate for next generation nonvolatile memory device because of many advantages such as non-volatility, fast operation property, process simplicity and possibility of multi-bit operation.
Traditionally, PCRAM employs a chalcogenide-based phase change material such as a stoichiometric Ge—Sb—Te alloy like Ge2Sb2Te5. A Ge—Sb—Te based alloy is capable of storing information in a binary form by electrically switching between the amorphous and crystalline states in a reversible manner.
Despite its merits as nonvolatile phase change memory material, however, a Ge—Sb—Te based alloy is disadvantageous as it tends to yield slow writing speed. For instance, it takes about 100 ns for the completion of the phase change from the amorphous (high resistance) to the crystalline (low resistance) states when a Ge—Sb—Te based alloy is employed. It takes ordinarily less than 100 ns in the reverse direction. On the other hand, conventional DRAM (dynamic random access memory), SRAM (static random access memory) and MRAM (magnetic random access memory) show the writing time of ˜50 ns, ˜8 ns and ˜10 ns, respectively. Therefore, efforts should be made if PCRAM is to be used for high speed applications.
In addition, there is a stability problem associated with thermal interference between adjacent memory cells.
To store information in a binary form, memory cell exploits the difference in electrical resistance between crystalline and amorphous states. Specifically, in order to write ‘1’ state (reset state) in a single cell, an electric voltage or current pulse is applied between the top and bottom electrodes contacting a phase change material, which induces direct or indirect heating on the phase change material for melting thereof. Upon termination of the electric pulse, the molten phase change material is quenched to an amorphous state, thereby writing the state ‘1’ in a single cell.
With density of PCRAM growing higher, binary data stored in amorphous memory cells may be corrupted with ease by unintended crystallization as a result of the heat generated in an adjoining memory cell which undergoes melting during a reset process thereof.
Nitrogen or silicon may be added to a Ge—Sb—Te based alloy for raising the crystallization temperature thereof. However, the addition of impurities may slow the crystallization process (B. J. Kuh et al, EPCOS 2005).
Further, integrating the memory device by sizing down the cell area is inherently bound by the limits of photolithographic techniques. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,271, it is disclosed that data can be stored in multi-bit forms by controlling the ratio between the amorphous and crystalline states in a single cell unit. However, it is extremely hard to control the dispersion between these two states.
Accordingly, it is imperative to find a way for storing multi-bit information in a single cell unit.